Putin Is Corrupt: US Official Says
The Kremlin is challenging the US Treasury Department to produce evidence that would effectively nail President Vladimir Putin down after a US official accused the Russian supremo of corruption in an investigative documentary by BBC Panorama.
Following Russia's seemingly unlawful annexation of Crimea and its continuing destabilizing role in eastern Ukraine, Washington decided to apply tough economic sanctions on Putin's inner circle without directly implicating the president for any alleged corruption in his official capacity as a leader.
But as Russia's relationship with the West continues to deteriorate, with both sides drifting farther away on key global issues, words are beginning to grow sour.
"We've seen him enriching his friends, his close allies, and marginalizing those who he doesn't view as friends using state assets. Whether that's Russia's energy wealth, whether it's other state contracts, he directs those to whom he believes will serve him and excludes those who don't. To me, that is a picture of corruption," remarked Adam Szubin, who supervises the US Treasury sanctions, as quoted saying by The National Post.
The first-ever direct accusation leveled by a US official against the incumbent Russian leader was never taken lightly by the Kremlin.
"[It looked like] another classic case of irresponsible journalism, if not for an official comment from a representative of the US finance ministry," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said adding that such heavy accusation rightfully demands an equal weight of proof as mentioned in a report by BBC.
Despite being loathed by Western leaders for leading a resurgent Post-Soviet Russia, Putin also has his own share of admirers in the world for his astute skill in using limited military force alongside diplomacy in achieving Russian foreign policy interests.
For example, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump appeared to be quite fond of Putin who was so generous with words when he described the Russian president as "a man highly respected within his own country and beyond" as observed in article published in the The Guardian.
